To The Golf Courses of Yesteryear

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Llandovery Golf Club, Carmarthenshire.

The club was founded in 1910.

The 9-hole course had a SSS and Par of 70. Membership throughout was about 55. Sunday play was never allowed. The station at Llandovery was ¾ mile away. Local hotels were the Castle and the Royston.

Secretaries

Professional/greenkeeper

1910/1911

G Watts (p)

1914

M H Nicholls

1920/1925

H L Phillips, Dalintober, Llandovery.

P James (g)

1926/1927

H L Phillips, Dalintober, Llandovery.

1927 - 1930's

H J Griffiths, Brynhyfryd Villa, Llandovery.

J Arthur (g) 1928/30 D Williams (g) 1931

J Mudford (g) 1932.

In 1914 there was no entry fee. Subs for gents were £1/10/0 and ladies 15/-. Visitors’ fees were 1/- a day.

Llandovery from the golf links. Authors Collection.

In the early 1920s visitors’ fees were 1/6d a day, 5/- a week and 10/- a month. Ladies 1/-, 3/-, 6/- respectively.

At the Golf Club ball, held in February 1927, Mrs M Orton Thomas (Whitland) presented her silver challenge cup to Mrs Rowland Thomas (King's Road) who was congratulated on her victory. Mrs Thomas said she was delighted to be the first to win the cup, she also urged the ladies present to take up golf.

Below is the result of a one-sided club match played at Llandovery against Carmarthen in early May 1927.

Llandovery Golf Club

Carmarthen Golf Club

J A Henry

1

J W Johns

0

Rev T D Thomas

1

J J Lewis

0

H J Griffiths

1

W D Protheroe

0

M H Nicholls

1

Dr Williams

0

Rev J Titus

1

H Thomas

0

J L Jones (Half)

0

E Richards (Half)

0

J T Davies

1

A Jones

0

T P Rees

1

G Weaks

0

J A Henry & Rev T D Thomas (Half)

0

J W Johns & J J Lewis (Half)

0

H J Griffiths & M H Nicholls

1

W D Protheroe & Dr Williams

0

Rev J Titus & J L Jones

1

H Thomas & E Richards

0

J T Davies & T P Rees

1

A Jones & G Weaks

0

10

0

Later in May 1927 Llandovery entertained Builth, result below.

Llandovery Golf Club

Builth Wellls Golf Club

Rev T D Thomas (Half)

0

D J Morgan (Half)

0

H J Griffiths

1

P Thornton

0

D J Morgan

1

J M Jones

0

C A Davies

1

B Griffiths

0

M H Nicholls

1

J Evans

0

Rev J Titus

1

F S Waters

0

J T Davies

1

W Niblett

0

J Lloyd Jones

1

J A Sayce

0

7

0

Below is the result of a match played at Builth Wells in April 1930.

Builth Wells Golf Club

LLandovery Golf Club

D J Morgan

1

T Thomas

0

W M Richards

1

B R Davies

0

P Thornton

0

H J Griffiths

1

S F Waters

1

M H Nicholls

0

W D Niblett

1

J E Jones

0

J Guild

1

G Benyon

0

E J Jones (half)

0

E T Thomas (half)

0

W W Lennard

0

T Roberts

1

5

2

Below, result of a club match played against Builth in April 1934 at Llandovery.

Llandovery Golf Club

Builth Wells Golf Club

G V Dill

0

D J Morgan

1

J L Jones

1

Rev H G H Griffith

0

Ll G Griffith

1

F S Waters

0

M H Nicholls

0

W D Niblett

1

Rev B Jones

0

A T Price

1

A H Posley

0

J S Jones

1

W T Ellis

0

J M Jones

1

T E L Davies

0

L A Corsham

1

J T Williams?

0

R M Williams

1

J T Holmes

1

W W Lennard

0

3

7

In the club’s last year in 1940 the secretary was W T Ellis, “Maesyrhaf” Llandovery. The greenkeeper was G Collins. Amateur course record holder was G V Dill with a score of 67.

The pictures below were taken from a similar position.

Above is a pre-WWW2 postcard of the course and pavilion.

Above a picture taken by the author in 2004 of the former Llandovery golf course. (Authors Collection.)

The course was on the Brecon Road out of Llandovery. Whilst visiting the area I met the current land owner who had actually played the old course. He remembered a large clubhouse and mentioned that Mrs Thomas the local chemist was the treasurer. Another prominent member was Patricia Roberts who he thought had played for Wales. The owner and his wife recall the clubhouse being burned down during the war. After permission had been given I walked part of the old course in 2004. Some bunker banks and features could still be made out. The course had been reverted to farm land and the owner has found many old golf balls while working on the land.